


What Truly Matters

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Drabblers one shots IR [16]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Canon Universe, Established Relationship, F/M, Not Epilogue Compliant, Paperwork, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-09-02 05:38:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16780687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: Rukia had been so busy taking care of her division that she had not been taking care of herself.





	What Truly Matters

Having served as a lieutenant of 13th Division, Kuchiki Rukia had believed she had a good grasp on the kind of administration required by the divisions of Gotei 13. Thus, when she was eventually promoted to a captain, she thought she knew what to expect.

She thought wrong.

The sheer amount of paperwork involved was gruelling; the regular meetings were way too frequent, lengthy and boring; the squabbles and politicking between the different divisions and their captains and lieutenants as exasperating as it was draining.

On one particularly miserable November night, when Rukia was rubbing her eyes and flexing her wrist after spending hours catching up on the damned paperwork, she was startled by the door of her office suddenly sliding open.

“Ichigo.” She frowned at the man who stood in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, his scowl darker and angrier than usual. “What is it?”

He knew not to interrupt her while she was working. So whatever reason had brought him here, must have been important.

“Do you know what time it is?” Ichigo asked, his words coming out clipped.

… Or maybe not.

“I’m not sure,” Rukia said coolly, her own temper wearing thin. “Was that all?”

“Oh, no; that was only the beginning,” Ichigo replied. “It’s well past midnight.”

“I fail to see how –”

“It’s well past midnight,” Ichigo cut in, his voice a little louder, “and you’re still here, cooped up with your paperwork.”

She looked up at him, uncomprehending. “I’m coming to bed as soon as I’m done with it.”

Ichigo gritted his teeth and pushed into the room. “You’re done with it _now_.”

“I can’t just get up and leave, you have no right –”

Ichigo was looming over her cluttered desk now, but when he spoke to cut into her furious tirade, his words were soft. “When was the last time you took a day off, Rukia?”

Rukia’s breath caught in her throat. Her shoulders slumped when she suddenly realised just how exhausted she was feeling – how exhausted she _had been_ feeling for days, if not weeks.

“I… I can’t remember,” she replied quietly.

“Neither can I,” Ichigo said, rubbing at the back of his neck. “You can’t keep going on like this, Rukia. You’re burning yourself out.”

Rukia stared mutely at Ichigo, then swept a glance over her desk and grimaced.

“You’re right. I’m done for tonight.”

She got up and walked around the desk. 

She stopped before Ichigo, and with no warning grabbed the lapels of his black kimono and pulled him down for a kiss.

Ichigo’s eyes were soft and alight when the prolonged kiss finally ended, his usual scowl replaced by a smile.

He tucked Rukia against his side in a familiar gesture, and the two of them walked out of the office together.

Rukia had been so busy taking care of her division that she had not been taking care of herself.

But thankfully, that was why she had Ichigo; to remind her of what truly mattered.


End file.
